Fire check



J. MADDEN FIRE CHECK Sept. 1 l, 1951 Filed May 21, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet lFIE-1- FIG. 2.

I 1]: INVENTOR.

manna Sept. 11, 1951 J. MADDE N FIRE CHECK 2 Sheets-$heet '2 Filed May21, 1948 FIEA- m0 w mm w MM Mw A fif L Patented Sept. 11,1951

FIRE CHECK Joseph Madden, Gary, Ind., assignor to United States SteelCompany, a corporation of New Jersey Application May 21, 1948, SerialNo. 28,449

6 Claims. 1

j This invention relates to a fire check and more particularly to a firecheck adapted to be installed in a pipe line which conveys a mixture ofgas and air from the point of generating 'to the point of burning. Thefire check of the invention is an improvement over the type of firecheck shown in the patent to Van Horn No. 2,085,485. In the fire checkdisclosed in the Van Horn patent it is impossible to check the fuse orthe free operation of the valve unless the fuse cap is removed and thefuse disconnected from the lever arm which operates the valve. It isalso difficult to replace the fuse because of the inaccessibilitythereof and the necessity of overcoming the tension of the valve spring.It has been suggested to place the fuse outside of the casing of thefire check for the above reasons. However such fire checks are notsatisfactory since the fuse does not function until the casing of thefire check is heated by backfired flame.

It is an object of my invention to provide a fire check in which thefuse and the free operation of the valve can be readily checked.

Another object is to provide such a fire check in which the fuse canreadily be replaced.

These and other objects will be more apparent after referring to thefollowing specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is an elevation of the fire check of my invention;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line IIII of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken on the line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line IV-IV of Figure3; and

Figure 5 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line V-V of Figure3.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral 2indicates the casing or housing of the fire check which is provided withan inlet 4 and outlet 6. Adjacent the inlet 4 is a self-closing valve 8which is provided with a spring ID for urging the valve toward the valveseat l2. A valve stem [4 extends through the valve opening and has itsend slidably mounted in the bore l6. A similar bore I8 is provided inthe valve cap for receiving the other end of the valve stem l4. Adjacentthe valve stem I 4 is a rotatable lever shaft 22 which extends throughthe wall of the casing. For the purpose of convenience a removable cap24 forms the wall of the casing at this point. A valve lever 26 isconnected to the inner end of the shaft 22 and is provided with abifurcated free end 28, which surrounds the valve stem l4 and contacts ashoulder 30 thereon. A lever arm 32 is connected to the outer end of theshaft 22 and extends toward the outlet 6 with its free end extendingover an opening 34 in the casing 2. The opening 34 is covered with afuse cap 36. Fastened to the free end of lever 32 is a link 38 whichconsists of two parts connected by a pin 40. A rotatable shaft 42extends through a packing gland 44 in the cap 36. Mounted on the outerend of the shaft 42 is the external trip lever 46. The free end of thelever 46 is bifurcated at" 48 for receiving the link 38. A notch 59 isprovided in the bifurcated end 48 for receiving a pin 52 which ismounted on the link 38. Mounted on the inner end of the shaft 42 is aninternal trip lever 54. A bolt 56 is threaded into the cap 36 andextends inwardly therefrom] A heat responsive device or fuse 58 fitsover the free end of bolt 56 and is fastened thereto by means of a nut60. The other end of fuse 58 has a T-shaped head 62 which fits into agroove 64 in the lever 54. Adjacent the fuse cap 36 is the flameinterrupting means 66 which may be made of metal gauze or fine wirearranged within a tubular shell.

The operation'of the device is as follows:

With the parts in the position shown in the drawings, the fire check isready for operation. Free operation of the valve 8 is checked by slidingthe link 38 off the end of the external trip lever 46. If the lever arm32 flies up, that is, in a clockwise direction, as shown in Figure 1,the valve is workingproperly and does not require attention. The fusecan be checked by observing the position of lever arm 32 or by checkingthe external trip lever 46. If the lever 46 rotates freely, the fuserequires replacement. In case of backfire the flame immediately flashesback to the fire check and is arrested momentarily by the fiameresisting insert 66. Fuse 58, which is constructed of two pieces ofbrass soldered together, is exposed to the flame and in a few secondsthe solder melts causing the fuse to separate. When this occurs thelever arm 32 loses its anchor and the spring [0 will close the valve 8.When it is desired to replace a fuse, the cap 36 is removed and the fuse58 is easily placed in position since no tension is being applied tolever 46. After the cap 36 is replaced, the lever arm 32 is pulled downand the end of link 38 is hooked onto the trip lever 46.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described, itwill be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaftextending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within thecasing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith andthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to theend of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interruptingmeans within the casing ad;- jacent said outlet, a rotatable shaftextending through said casing adjacent said flame inter: rupting means,means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting itto said lever arm, a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent saidoutlet, and holding means for said heat responsive device on the innerwall of said casing, said heat responsive device having one endconnected to the inner end of said last named rotatable shaft and theother end connected to said holding means to normally hold the valve inopen position.

2. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaftextending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within thecasing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith andthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to theend of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a rlame interruptingmeans within the casing adjacent said outlet, a rotatable shaftextending through said casing adjacent said flame interrupting means,means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting itto said lever arm, a lever attached to the end of said last namedrotatable shaft within said casing, a bolt attached to the inner wall ofsaid casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent saidoutlet connected to said bolt and said last named lever to normally holdthe valve in open position.

3. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaftextending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within thecasing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith andthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to theend of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interruptingmeans within the casing adjacent said outlet, a rotatable shaftextending through said casing adjacent said flame interruptingmeans, alink connected to the free end of said lever arm, a trip lever on theouter end of said last named rotatable shaft detachably connected tosaid link for'holding the valve in open'position, a lever attached tothe end of said last named rotatable shaft'within said casing, a boltattached to the inner wall of said casing, and a heat responsive devicein said casing adjacent said outlet connected to said bolt andsaid lastnamed lever to normally hold the valve in open position.

4. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said passages, a rotatable lever shaftextending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within thecasing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewith andthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected to theend of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a flame interruptingmeans within the casing adjacent said outlet, said casing having anopening 4 therein adjacent said flame interrupting means, a fuse capover said opening, a rotatable shaft extending, through said cap,- meanson the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting it tosaid lever arm, a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent saidoutlet, and holding means for said heat responsive device on the innerwall of said casing, said heat responsive device having one endconnected to the inner end of 0 said rotatable shaft and the other endconnected to said holding means to normally hold the valve in openposition.

5. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said'passages, a rotatable lever shaftextending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever within thecasing having one end connected to said shaft for movement -10 therewithandthe other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected tothe end of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a nameinterrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, said casinghaving an opening therein adjacent said flame interrupting means, a fusecap over said opening, a rotatable shaft extending through said cap,means on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft connecting itto said leverarm, a lever attached to :m the end of said last namedrotatable shaft within said casing, a bolt attached to said cap within,:said casing, and a heat responsive device in said casing adjacent saidoutlet connected to said bolt and said last named lever to normally hold(:3 the valve in open position.

6. In a fire check for combustible fuel pipe lines, the combinationincluding a casing having inlet and outlet passages, a self-closingvalve within the casing between said passages, a rotatn7 able levershaft extending through the wall of said casing, a valve lever withinthe casing having one end connected to said shaft for movement therewithand the other end connected to open said valve, a lever arm connected tothe end :5 of said shaft extending outside of said casing, a

flame interrupting means within the casing adjacent said outlet, saidcasing having an opening therein adjacent said iiame interrupting means,a fuse cap over said opening, a rotatable so shaft extending throughsaid cap, a link connected to the free end of said lever arm, a triplever on the outer end of said last named rotatable shaft detachablyconnected to said link for holding the valve in open position, a leverattached to the end of said last named rotatable shaft within saidcasing, a bolt attached to said cap within said casing, and a heatresponsive device in said casing adjacent said outlet connected to saidbolt and said last named lever to normally hold the valve in openposition.

JOSEPH MADDEN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

